Day 2: people of Spain unite and occupy criminal government

Thousands of Spaniards have returned to Madrid’s Plaza de Neptune to protest the latest, highly contentious wave of austerity measures, following a violent police crackdown on Tuesday.

For the second day running, thousands of demonstrators led by the so-called indignados, or outraged, descended on the square – some 100 meters from Spain’s Congress building. Many in the crowd chanted “government, resign!”while hoisting up placards bearing the slogan “No” in opposition to the country’s austerity program.

There was a tense standoff between demonstrators and police, who have formed a security cordon around the square. Police eventually yielded, as the protesters poured onto the square amidst jubilant cheers.

Pamphlets have been circulating through the crowd imploring those present not to repeat Tuesdays’s mistakes. The tract implores those present not to provoke the police, giving them a pretext to cripple the event, and has recommended a sit in protest.

Minor scuffles have periodically broken out between protesters, though in each case they quickly were resolved without police intervention.

The demonstrators are calling for new elections, saying the proposal of deeper budget cuts proves the ruling Popular Party has lost its legitimacy by failing to keep its promises.

The Bank of Spain said Wednesday that the country, where one in four faces unemployment, is in the grips of a deep depression.